HEY EVERYONE!!!! Thank you to everyone who emailed me for my birthday!!! Man... the love I felt was unreal!! Probably the best birthday I have ever had! 🎂 But I will tell you more about that in a second! :)
First of all....
TRANSFER CALLS
This morning:
*waits 2 hours to get our transfer call...doesn't come...we freak out a little bit....call zone leaders... and we were like, 'yo...we didn't get a call?' and they were like, 'oh no one called you??? ohhh...yeah you both are staying together in Tsukuba.'*
HAHAHAHAH OH MY GOSH MY MISSION CALL LETTER SHOULD HAVE JUST SAID, "YOU ARE CALLED TO SERVE IN THE TSUKUBA, JAPAN MISSION" LOL HAHAHAHAHAH I'm literally staying another transfer in Tsukuba!!! That is 9 months in one area. HAHAH Oh my goodness literally peed my pants. But, I'm so happy I'm staying. I love Tsukuba more than I can express! And, I get to be with my bean (Sister Van Pelt) for another one!
hoopla!!
BIG 20!!!!
I am 20 but physically I feel 90. IDK how that works buuuuut..
Seriously, wow. best birthday ever. I woke up and my cute companion decorated the WHOLE apartment!! Balloons, birthday signs, and stuff hanging from the ceiling. Seriously, I cried when I saw it all. I totally forgot it was my birthday lol
She got up a little before 6:30 and started making chocolate chip pancakes!! THE CUTEST. And then she sang happy birthday to me :') soooo cuuute. (boys she finishes her mission next summer😉)
And then all of a sudden when we were at the church that morning...a member kidnapped us and threw me a birthday party with a few of our investigators!!! (Momo, Ayako and their families)
I cried. legit. I felt so loved.
and then Yuka and Sister Van Pelt did a little surprise birthday party for me at Eikaiwa. SERIOUSLY SO MUCH CAKIE. I have never eaten so much birthday cake in my life.
It was such a good day. seriously was so blessed :')
OHH AND I ALSO WORE A KIMONO 😎
SILENT LESSON
WE MADE A SILENT LESSON AND IT WAS LIFE CHANGING. A silent lesson is when no words are spoken and you allow the spirit to teach the entire time. Those who were in seminary at Hillcrest know what I'm talkin' about. We did it with Yuka and It seriously was one of the most spiritual moments on my mission. Yuka and I just cried the whole time. I know God loves his children. I felt it with every fiber of my body that day. :)
BIG BUDDHA
Today we visited the biggest buddha statue in the world. It was 400 feet tall and we got to GO INSIDE. legit so cool. I was sweatin' buckets the whole time but worth it! *pics to come*
I really love and respect the Japanese culture so much! But, it was a huge testimony to me that we can really find hope through the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. When I was learning about the culture today, it was way cool and all...But, I didn't feel anything. (and it smelt kinda funny) haha...but really I didn't feel the same hope and happiness that I do when I live the simple things of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
I just felt so much gratitude for my Savior. And, I felt peace that I am doing the right thing. I know that that when we learn of Him, we can FEEL real hope and happiness. That same happiness cannot be found anywhere else. I know that this church is true. I am so proud to be a disciple of Christ.
But really, buddha was huge.
I love you all!!!!! have a sweeeeet weeeek!!
Sister Phelps
pics:
1-10: birthday :)
others: buddha and goats and waiting for transfer calls lol
